Crystal City officials sentenced for taking bribes

Former Crystal City council member Gilbert Urrabazo leave the U.S. Federal Court after bonding out, Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016. Also arrested on federal bribery charges were Crystal City city manager and attorney William James Jonas, III, Crystal City Mayor Ricardo Lopez, Mayor Pro-Tem Rogelio Mata, council member Roel Mata and Ngoc Tri Nguyen, of Keller, TX.

Former Crystal City council member Gilbert Urrabazo leave the U.S. Federal Court after bonding out, Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016. Also arrested on federal bribery charges were Crystal City city manager and attorney

Former Crystal City council member Gilbert Urrabazo leave the U.S. Federal Court after bonding out, Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016. Also arrested on federal bribery charges were Crystal City city manager and attorney William James Jonas, III, Crystal City Mayor Ricardo Lopez, Mayor Pro-Tem Rogelio Mata, council member Roel Mata and Ngoc Tri Nguyen, of Keller, TX.

Former Crystal City council member Gilbert Urrabazo leave the U.S. Federal Court after bonding out, Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016. Also arrested on federal bribery charges were Crystal City city manager and attorney

Three former Crystal City councilmen were sentenced to federal prison Monday for taking bribes from a contractor who was seeking business favors.

Former Mayor Pro-Tem Rogelio Mata was given 33 months, his brother Roel Mata got 21 months and Gilbert Urrabazo received 24 months. They will begin serving their time on Jan. 22, 2019.

“We’re kind of disappointed, I thought 10 to 20 years was reasonable plus restitution to the city,” said Crystal City Mayor Frank Moreno, who addressed the court at the sentencing hearing in Del Rio. He was one of three city officials to attend.

“City Manager Santos Camarillo also testified to all the corruption they did and how the city was left all messed up financially,” he added.

Moreno said the city found itself about $3 million in the hole after the corrupt officials were ousted.

All three defendants, who had pleaded guilty to a single count of bribery, expressed their remorse to U.S. District Judge Alia Moses on Monday before punishment was imposed.

The sentencings close the book on a South Texas municipal corruption scandal that nearly bankrupted the low-income city 130 miles south of San Antonio. It also sent two other officials to prison for long terms.

William James Jonas III, the former city manager and city attorney, is now serving 35-years for multiple convictions, and former mayor Ricardo Lopez is serving an eight-year term. Both were found guilty after going to trial last year.

The three councilmen sentenced Monday were also ordered to pay $11,291.73, which represents the total bribes paid to them and Jonas.